Questions & Answers

Does nicotine cause cancer?

No. Nicotine is a common chemical compound found in tobacco plants, and its effect is to make tobacco addictive rather than to cause cancer directly. People who are addicted are more likely to continue to expose themselves to the carcinogens in smoked or smokeless tobacco.

Nicotine at doses found in products such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can gradually replace the need for nicotine in cigarette smokers while minimizing the exposure of users to the carcinogens and other toxic substances in tobacco smoke. Medicinal nicotine is therefore a safer alternative to tobacco products. Nicotine replacement therapy (as gum and patch) is on the World Health Organization list of essential medicines since 2009.

Nicotine in very large doses can be toxic or even lethal and therefore nicotine products should be kept out of the reach of children.